Pivoting backrest for exercise apparatus

ABSTRACT

An exercising machine includes a seat having a seat back that is normally oriented in a substantially vertical orientation and a seat bottom on which the user of the machine can sit while performing a variety of different exercises. The seat and the exercising machine are designed so that the said user can sit on the seat bottom in a position facing forwardly away from the seat back or facing rearwardly toward the seat back. The seat back is movable between its substantially vertical orientation and a substantially horizontal orientation by pivoting either the top or the lower end thereof forwardly and a locking mechanism is provided for maintaining the seat back in its selected position. When the seat back is in the horizontal position, the user can sit on the seat bottom facing rearwardly and perform various exercises such as pulling exercises using the top edge or the lower end of the seat back as a horizontal restraint. The top edge and/or the lower end of the seat back is padded for the comfort of the user. The seat bottom may also be movable to accommodate the user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention is directed toward exercise equipment andmore particularly toward the type of exercise equipment which includesmulti-stations or positions allowing the user to perform various typesof exercises. The invention is specifically designed to allow a user toperform various pulling exercises such as lat pulldowns.

[0002] Typically, exercise apparatus useful with the present inventionis of a type known as weight machines which include a support frame onwhich a weight stack is mounted for vertical movement and which islinked to various exercise stations by way of a linkage system such ascables and pulley mechanisms. This allows the user to lift the weightsusing different muscle groups depending on the exercise station used.

[0003] One exercise that is desired and frequently incorporated intoweight machines is designed to exercise the latissimus dorsi musclegroup and is commonly referred to as a lat pulldown or exercise latpulls. This is normally performed while the user is in a sittingposition. He or she reaches a bar that is suspended overhead and pullsthe same straight down in a vertical plane. The bar can be pulled downeither in front of the user or behind the head of the user. In eithercase, movement of the bar downwardly is resisted by the weights in theweight stack in the manner which is well known in the art.

[0004] Weight machines that allow for lat pulldowns must, therefore, beof a relatively large size since they must include a frame forsupporting the lat pulldown bar mounted overhead. Such machines,therefore, cannot normally be made as compact as may be desired.

[0005] In an attempt to simplify weight machines capable of doing latpulldowns and making them more compact, it has been suggested to performlat pulldown exercises while the user is in a horizontal prone positionlying either on his or her back or front. While there may be some meritto this approach, it requires that the weight machine be somewhat longerto accommodate the length of the person lying down and also requiressome type of locking or holding mechanism for the user's feet to preventthe user's body from being drawn toward the bar or weights being pulled.This solution, therefore, may create more problems than it solves.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention is designed to overcome the deficiencies ofthe prior art described above. The exercising machine according to theinvention includes a seat having a seat back that is normally orientedin a substantially vertical orientation and a seat bottom on which theuser of the machine can sit while performing a variety of differentexercises. The seat and the exercising machine are designed so that thesaid user can sit on the seat bottom in a position facing forwardly awayfrom the seat back or facing rearwardly toward the seat back. The seatback is movable between its substantially vertical orientation and asubstantially horizontal orientation by pivoting either the top or thelower end thereof forwardly and a locking mechanism is provided formaintaining the seat back in its selected position. When the seat backis in the horizontal position, the user can sit on the seat bottomfacing rearwardly and perform various exercises such as pullingexercises using the top edge or the lower end of the seat back as ahorizontal restraint. The top edge and/or the lower end of the seat backis padded for the comfort of the user. The seat bottom may also bemovable to accommodate the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown inthe accompanying drawings forms which are presently preferred; it beingunderstood that the invention is not intended to be limited to theprecise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

[0008]FIG. 1 is a side elevational view shown somewhat diagramaticallyof the pivoting backrest of the present invention in combination with aweight machine;

[0009]FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 1 showing thedetails of the pivoting backrest;

[0010]FIG. 3 illustrates the use of the present invention when thebackrest is pivoted into a substantially horizontal position;

[0011]FIG. 4 illustrates a further use of the present invention;

[0012]FIG. 5 illustrates a still further use of the invention;

[0013]FIG. 6 illustrates a use of the invention with the user sittingwith his back to the pivoting backrest of the invention;

[0014]FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating a secondembodiment of the invention with the backrest in its substantiallyvertical orientation, and

[0015]FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 showing the pivoting backrestpivoted into its substantially horizontal position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numeralshave been used throughout the various figures to designate likeelements, there is shown in FIG. 1 a pivoting backrest constructed inaccordance with the principles of the present invention and designatedgenerally as 10. The backrest 10 is shown in combination with a weightmachine 12. This is, however, by way of example only as various othertypes of weight machines could also be employed with the presentinvention. Furthermore, the pivoting seat back of the present inventioncould be used with a much simpler exercising apparatus as will beexplained more fully hereinafter.

[0017] In any event, the exercising machine 12 includes a seat includinga seat bottom 14 mounted on a frame 16. The seat bottom 14 is preferablymounted so as to be slidably moveable forwardly i.e. to the right asshown in FIG. 1 or rearwardly i.e. to the left as shown in FIG. 1 inorder to accommodate the user of the apparatus in performing variousdifferent exercises.

[0018] The exercise machine 12 also includes a weight stack 18 which islinked to various parts of the equipment through a plurality of cablesand pulley mechanisms such as shown at 20 to enable the user to exercisevarious different muscle groups.

[0019] At the very least, the apparatus useful with the presentinvention must include resistive means that can be gripped by a person'shands and which are moveable in a substantially horizontal direction. Inthe exercise equipment 12 illustrated in the figures, this includes alever 22 having its lower end pivoted to a base member and including apair of arms 24 that extend forwardly at either side of the apparatusand terminate in hand grips 26.

[0020] The foregoing apparatus thus described is, per se, well known inthe art. Similar machines have been known for some time and are shownand described, for example, in prior U.S. Pat. Nos. Des. 359,326 and6,030,322. Since the apparatus is, per se, well known, it is notbelieved that a detailed description of the operation of the componentparts thereof is necessary.

[0021] The present invention is primarily concerned with the backrest orseat back 28 and more particularly with its ability to be moved betweenits substantially vertical orientation as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and asubstantially horizontal orientation as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. It mustbe understood, however, that when utilizing the term substantiallyvertical orientation with reference to the seat back 28, Applicant doesnot intend the same to require that the seat back be perfectly verticalor 90° to the horizontal. Rather, this term is intended to refer to theorientation of the seat back wherein a person sitting on the seat bottom14 and resting against the forward facing surface 30 of the seat back 28will be sitting essentially upright or leaning back slightly. Similarly,the term substantially horizontal orientation is not intended to referto an orientation wherein the seat back 28 is parallel to the floor.Rather, this term is intended to refer to any position such as thatshown in FIG. 3 wherein the padded top 32 of the seat back (or thepadded bottom in the second embodiment to be described hereinbelow) hasbeen moved into a substantially horizontal enough position to engage theuser's stomach as shown in FIG. 3 to provide horizontal restraint forthe user's body while performing various pulling exercises.

[0022] In order to achieve the advantages of the present invention, thebackrest or seat back 28 is secured to a substantially triangularlyshaped bracket 34 which has its lower forward end pivoted at pivot point36 to the upper end of a substantially vertically extending frame member38 which forms part of the exercise machine.

[0023] The upper end of the frame member 38 also includes an opening 40spaced at a slight distance from the pivot point 36. The bracket 34supporting the seat back 28 includes a plurality of apertures such asshown at 42 in an arcuate arrangement whereby any one of the apertures42 can be placed into alignment with the opening 40 when the seat 28 ispivoted clockwise as viewed in FIG. 1 or 2. When the seat back 28 is inits desired position such as the substantially horizontal position asshown in FIG. 3, a pin can be inserted through the selected aperture 42which passes into the opening 40 to maintain the seat back in itspivoted position.

[0024]FIG. 3 illustrates the seat back 28 having been pivoted into itssubstantially horizontal orientation. This was done, as pointed outabove, by moving the top 32 of the seat back forwardly thereby rotatingthe seat back 28 about the pivot point 36. By sitting on the exercisemachine and facing rearwardly, the user can then perform lat pulldownexercises by grasping the lever 22 and pulling forwardly. The top 32 ofthe seat back 28 provides horizontal restraint for the user's body and,as pointed out above, is padded to provide comfort to the user. Otherexercises that can be performed with the seat back 28 in a pivotedposition are illustrated diagramatically in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6.

[0025]FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a second embodiment of the improvedpivotal seat back of the present invention. This embodiment is similarto the embodiment described above but, instead of the seat back 28pivoting in a clockwise direction whereby the top 32 pivots forwardly,in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the seat back 128 pivots in acounterclockwise position wherein the bottom or lower end 132 of theseat back 128 moves forwardly.

[0026] In order to accomplish the foregoing, a substantiallytriangularly shaped bracket 134 is secured to the back of the seat back128. The triangularly shaped bracket 134, however, is designed so tohave its triangular peak adjacent the center portion (from top to bottomas viewed in FIG. 7) of the seat back 28. The bracket 134 is pivoted tothe top of the vertically extending frame 38 through the use of a pivotmember 136. In this way, the seat back 128 can be pivoted between itssubstantially vertical orientation as shown in FIG. 7 and by moving thelower end 132 forwardly, into its substantially horizontal orientationas shown in FIG. 8. The seat back can be locked in position using anymeans known in the art such as a locking handle threaded to the pivotjoint. Since the lower end 132 of the seat back 128 will now engage theuser's body, the lower end 132 is preferably padded for the comfort ofthe user.

[0027] In both of the embodiments of the invention described above, theseat back 28 or 128 is mounted for pivotal movement with respect to theframe of the apparatus. This is, by way of example only. It is notbeyond the scope of the present invention to provide means other thanpivoting for orienting the seat back. It is possible, for example, toprovide the seat back and frame member with a plurality of pins andslots or the like wherein the seat back is totally removed, reorientedand reapplied to the frame member.

[0028] While the improved seat 10 or 110 of the present invention hasbeen shown in combination with a relatively complex exercise machine,much simpler machines could be used. For example, the moveable seat backof the present invention could be combined with a relatively simplychair which is placed next to a wall where elastic cords with handlesare secured. The user would then sit on the seat bottom 14 facing thewall with the seat back in its substantially horizontal orientation andwould pull on the cords in order to perform lat pulldowns.

[0029] The present invention may be embodied in other specific formswithout departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof andaccordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims rather thanto the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:
 1. In an exercising machine including a seat having a seat backthat is normally oriented in a substantially vertical orientation and aseat bottom on which the user of said machine can sit while performing avariety of different exercises and wherein said user can sit on saidseat bottom in a position facing forwardly away from said seat back orfacing rearwardly toward said seat back wherein the improvementcomprises said seat back being movable between said substantiallyvertical orientation and a substantially horizontal orientation andwherein said user can sit on said seat bottom facing rearwardly andperform various exercises when said seat back is in said substantiallyhorizontal orientation.
 2. The improvement as claimed in claim 1 whereinsaid seat back is movable into said horizontal orientation by moving thetop of said seat back forwardly.
 3. The improvement as claimed in claim2 wherein said top of said seat back is padded for the comfort of theuser.
 4. The improvement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said seat back ismovable into said horizontal orientation by moving the lower end of saidseat back forwardly.
 5. The improvement as claimed in claim 4 whereinsaid lower end of said seat back is padded for the comfort of the user.6. The improvement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said seat back ismounted for pivotal movement between its substantially vertical andsubstantially horizontal orientations.
 7. The improvement as claimed inclaim 1 wherein said seat bottom is movable forwardly and rearwardly. 8.The improvement as claimed in claim 1 further including means forlocking said seat back into one of said two orientations.